The Brand called YOU

Most entrepreneurs and senior executives completely miss out on one of the most powerful branding strategies available in today's market:The Creation of Their Own Personal Brand.

Most people in business understand the need to build brand equity at the corporate level or for products, services, intellectual property, etc., but very few understand the substantial benefits that are created from increasing their personal brand equity.

In today’s competitive workplace, distinguishing yourself significantly from your peers can be a challenge. it’s not just about “getting a job”—it’s about building your own personal brand. But what does that mean—“personal brand”? Much like the brands that we all know, such as Coke, Nike, or McDonald’s, your personal brand in the workplace is a combination of the product you offer (i.e., your job performance), the values that you embody, and how the two work together to create the “wholeness” that is you.

A personal brand is much more than a job title: It’s a holistic look at your goals, passions and values and how those figure into—and enhance—what you offer an employer. Oftentimes, it’s the individuals who truly know what makes them interesting, compelling, and differentiated who stand out from their peers. These people capitalize on their differences, parlaying them into an advantage. A personal branding can be the thing that will give you an edge, catch the eye of the people.

Of course, a personal brand is only as good as the reputation you are able to build around its unique promise of value—and what you ultimately deliver. Consequently, authenticity and honesty become the most important building blocks for your personal brand.

No matter where you are on the corporate ladder—starting out, a rising star or an established leader—personal branding is absolutely vital to your success. After all, numerous others may have your job title, but only a few might share your vision and appreciate the particular talents you offer. If you connect with the individuals and companies that value your “mission” in the world, you will have a much greater chance for success. No full-proof path exists for building a personal brand, but you can take steps that will help you create the best personal brand for you.

Before you head off to storm the castle, you’ll need a plan of attack and a few important tools. You need certain traits that will carry you and your vision in places you’ll walk in.

RELENTLESS PASSION

By far the most important thing you need is an intense passion for your cause, and carry it with a conviction that cannot be hindered by critics or your own shortcomings. You have to be willing to give it your all, and for a long time with potentially few rewards. In the short run, few people will notice, but in the long run, everyone will. Or at least, everyone you need to influ­ence in your campaign will notice.

HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC GOAL

What sets you apart? Where will your tipping point be? What will the world look like with you in charge? You can also call this your elevator pitch. If you had two minutes with anyone in the world who has the power to influence the rest of your life, what would you say to them? “Hi, my name is _____, I’m currently in ________, and I’m going to _________.”

A COMPELLING STORY

There must be a reason why you’re doing what you’re working on right now other than giving you the money that you’re getting. (You’re receiving the money that you get because of you are good at what you do.) What do you, and why are you doing it. Is there a special reason? A story behind it? What made you decide to it? Whether you are just starting out in business or if you have been at it for a long time OR somewhere in between, there’s a compelling reason or motivation to do the things you are doing day in and day. If you are a “brand”, you must have a “brand story”. Your story could spark inspiration.

EXPERT STATUS IN SKILLS THAT HELP OTHERS

As we’ve seen here, you can’t just take over the world for yourself. You have to add value to others, or no one will want to help you. Therefore, you need to have skills that will radically improve the lives of others. Does your world domination plan have an educational component?

Here is the interesting thing about this: when you take the time to become a real expert in something highly specialized that really adds value to the world, the people you help will start looking to you for answers about seemingly unrelated topics. It’s always better to start highly focused and then work outwards than to begin with a broad, unspecific mandate.

A SMALL ARMY

You need to recruita small army of com­mitted believerswho will support your cause and add their own resources in support of it. How many people do you need? Well, obviously it varies, but 100 true fans is a great start. In fact, a small, devoted army is far better than a large, uncommitted mob.

You can tap into networks, or even create a network. As example, I advocate the Philippine Traditional Street Games in our country, and I have sports coordinators in key cities. My coordinators don’t only coordinate with local Barangays, but with school officials; and two years ago, they have networked a data-base of 80,000 retail stores where they are loading Larong Pinoy toys and creating product promos for corporate sponsors of the games in communities. Now, isn’t that’s a vast multiplier to the small army?

FRIENDS OF FRIENDS

A small army is critical, but in the long run, the friends of your friends may end up helping even more. This is because of the phenomenon called “the strength of weak ties.” In 1973, sociologist Mark Granovetter published a controversial ar­ticle claiming that “weak ties,” or friends of friends, are responsible for the major­ity of new jobs and opportunities we encounter. This claim runs contradictory to the classical understanding of efficient markets, and Granovetter even showed how most new information we acquire in our daily lives comes from extended social networks.

ENOUGH MONEY

Your goal will probably require some amount of money. How much do you need? Simply put, you need enough money to accomplish the goal—no more, no less. Figure out what the true cost is and then figure out how to get it. Work the math out backwards.

For example, I figured out that visiting the entire regions of the Philippines would cost me an amount of money that would be equal to buying a brand new S.U.V. When I saw the costs and the relative value for both, I felt encour­aged. I gave up the hypothetical large vehicle and “discovered” the Philippines. In “discovering” the Philippines, I discovered myself and many other priceless things. It was worth the investment.

ENOUGH TIME

You have to be able to devote significant time to improving your skills. You don’t just want to be good enough; you want to be remarkable. What this means is dif­ferent for everyone --- some people are able to their goals in their off hours, while others will need more time.

Some people get up at 4:00 a.m. every day to study, or work on things other than their jobs. This strategy doesn’t work for everyone, how­ever, because many people find that their 9-5 commitment steals their best energy from them. In these cases, you’ll need to make some major adjustments. or even create a 8^th day during the week.

Regardless of which side you fit in, you’ll need enough time. You won’t grow as tall as a giant work­ing only four hours a week.

ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION

Indeed, social networking is here to stay, but you also need some kind of “pulpit”. You need to be able to speak to your army directly.

This can be done through a web site, a blog, a newsletter, an email list, a phone broadcast, or something else. You can’t create just a virtual army, you need to have real faces in front of you. You will need to go out in the fields, put in the trenches, where it matters most.

That’s it!

The above list may not be fully com­plete. And there are certainty other things that people will expect from you --- some are necessary, and other that are com­pletely unnecessary.

This list of ignorable expectations in­cludes:

• Qualifications

• Introductions

• Endorsements

• Everything the gatekeepers expect from you

These are all the things you DON’T NEED.

I’m probably going to make some people angry with that sentence, but my goal to present the truth. And the truth is that if you want to achieve your most significant goals, and you want to transform the world for the better in the process, you really don’t need to jump through all the hoops that people hold up for you.

In the past, you had to keep checking boxes in application forms and ticking tasks off the expecta­tions list for a long time before anyone would listen to you and get an audience.

But guess what? Life is different now. You are your own specialist in your field of expertise. If you have something of merit to bring to the table, serve it.

You can be successful the moment you decide to give more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself valuable in your field of expertise. If you build it, they will come.

Your personal brand is a reflection of your greatest strengths. Identify what those are, and then make that the ground you stand on.

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If need advise, on your career; or if you need consultancy on a business plan... give me a call. I may have a few cents of ideas which you can turn into paperbucks of a plan that will lift you up. Tel. No. 514-5868.

Keep the fire burning!

The World Population Reaches 7-Billion. Countdown Oct 31, 2011.

World Population Day is celebrated annually on the 11th July. This important observation is an outgrowth of the Day of 5 Billion, which was observed on 11 July back in 1987. It was later recommended that 11 July be observed as World Population Day.

World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need for collective actions.

This year the World Population Day marks the launching of a campaign called "7 billion", an international move to celebrate the milestone of 7 billion of the world’s population. The campaign will engage people throughout the globe on what it means to live in a world with 7 billion people and encourage actions on issues that affect all of us.

On October 31, 2011, as many folks are out celebrating Halloween or All Saints Day, the world’s population is expected to hit 7 billion people, according to estimations by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

In spirit of this outlook, the UNFPA in cooperation with the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila organized an event at Smokey Mountain, in Tondo, Manila as part of the countdown for the upcoming arrival of "The Day of 7 Billion".

Co-hosted by Gawad Kalinga (Manila Chapter), U.N. delegates and JCI Manila will launching the event that will be attended by families from Smokey Mountain. U.N. delegates will be visiting residences at Gawad Kalinga, and fellows from JCI Manila will have a medical outreach clinic.

The event at Smokey Mountain has a special message that intends to raise awareness and to reflect on what it means to live in a world of 7 billion people and take action on issues that affect us all. UNFPA encourages citizens to think of "7 billion ideas" to counter potential problems that comes with the increase of the world population. UNFPA will enjoin every citizen to share ideas with each other, and encourage the role of the youth, to find a solution to the world's problem's.

After the ceremonies at the Gawad Kalinga center, the U.N. and JCI delegates will proceed to the Field Of Dreams Ballpark located at the Smokey Mountain, where Magna Kultura Foundation will be organizing Traditional Filipino Street Game activities.

U.N. delegates will be playing with Tondo kids in games, such as Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Luksong Tinik, Piko, and many other games.

Starting at 8 A.M., while ceremonies are being held at the Gawad Kalinga Center, Magna Kultura will start the game activities at the Field of Dreams with a Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic. Tondo youths will be treated to a Larong Pinoy sports instruction lesson teaching the game play mechanics with systematic drills and exercises.

Afterwhich, children will be enjoined to form into teams to play the games in a mini-sporstfest. The U.N. delegates will join the children during the sportfest for interaction, at the same time have a feel of our unique Filipino games.

The outreach event with the families at Smokey Mountain is the United Nation's way of symbolically commemorating "The Day of 7 Billion". UNFPA eagerly desires to promote the right of every man, woman and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. The event is the beginning of UNFPA's campaign to create awareness towards the commitment for a healthy and sustainable world for all.

Buhay Na Buhay Ang Mga Palarong Pilipino Sa Iba't Ibang Lugar

"Nawaawala na ba ang mga larong Pinoy sa Pilipinas?" ("Are the traditional Filipino Games vanishing in Philippine society?")

This is a question often asked by students, media, and other PR practitioners during interviews with Magna Kultura. My straight answer is "No".

It is actually an intergroup perception --- of social classes, of social world, of distance among economic sectors.

Whenever they ask me about the perception, I asked back: Where do you live? Where are the places you frequently go to?

The Traditional Filipino Street Games are actually very much alive. If you visit places like Tondo (Manila), Tatalon or Payatas (Quezon City), or even C.A.A. (Las Pinas) --- there they’ll see lots of children in the streets (like a “factory of kids”), and what are they doing? They are all playing in the streets. What are they playing? Street games.

One of the perceived reason why some think that Larong Pinoy has vanished is because of they say that is has been replaced with computers and high tech games. Again, the perception is “socio-economic”. How many people in the country has computers, or have access to the internet? I believe that roughly 30% of the population has access to modern technology --- people from the AB & C socio-economic classes. But a big majority from the lower C, D & E classes --- which is about 60% of the population still don’t have regular access (or even budgets) for computers and internet.

I repeat: it’s an intergroup perception. Distance between social classes, social world, and among economic sectors.

Without prejudice, I believe that the two group’s rarely interface. Those who are exposed to computers rarely go out to interact with people in the neighborhood; instead of having “kababata’s” --- and friendships are vitual, having “ka-chat’s”, “ka-Facebook”, or “ka-Text”. (In fact, they rarely visit the nearby sari-sari stores; visiting more of the malls, supermarkets and 7/11’s.)

In the advent of high tech gadgets and computer games, larong Pinoy is very much alive. Children in the provinces still play the Filipino games. Public school students regularly meet with neighborhood kids after school and still play Piko, rubberbands games, tansans, trumpo, and even invent new ways of playing the games. Citizens in many Metro-Manila Barangays celebrate fiesta’s still organizes the traditional “Fiesta Games”.

Ang Larong Pinoy ay di mawawala sa Pilipinas. Ito ay yaman ng ating lahi. Patuloy itong nilalaro ng maraming kabataan sa mga barangay.

Organize a Larong Pinoy Sports Fest This Year

Organize a Larong Pinoy Mini-Olympics Sportsfest, and make your company event a truly unique and fun activity. 

 

Magna Kultura Foundation organizes Larong Pinoy Tournaments for companies like a Mini-Olympics. It's challenging and competitive, and best of all, it's fun and memorable.

It's a variety of Pinoy Games executed like a real Mini-Olympics Event with a tournament system. Inter-Department competitions on Patintero, Hula Hoop Tumbang Preso, Jumping Rope, Sipang Bilangan, Luksong Tinik, and various Filipino games. It's challenging! These are games where everyone will be able to play.

Magna Kultura organizes everything ---- from planning to implementation --- with Tournament Systems & Procedures, Referees, Marshal, Game Materials, Registration Forms, Tournament Manual with Rules for each and every game ---- so that the HRD and sports committee can sit back, relax, play with the rest of their fellow-employees. Magna Kultura  does the organizing and internal coordinating with the team of employees. 

Playing the Traditional Filipino Street Games is a unique alternative to the usual Western sports activities. Unlike western sports, Larong Pinoy is a game where everybody (young and old) will be able to easily participate in.  Even employees who don’t want play enjoy the event --- cheering, "jeering" and supporting the teams. 

 

Larong Pinoy is a true bonding experience among employees. Even before  the event day every individual find time (and have fun) discussing and practicing internally at the office.  It bridges the young and old employees, staff and clerks, as they consult everyone about the games.

Let Magna Kultura contribute to the corporate camaraderie of your employees through a Pinoy Games  activity.  We’ll  deliver a one-of-a-kind sportsfest event for your company.

Make your Sports Fest a great event experience! Call us, and together we’ll plan the event and discuss logistics details. 

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE PROGRAM, CLICK & VIEW THE SPORTS FEST PLAN THE FOLLOWING SITES:  At http://kulturapilipinas.webs.com/corporate-mini-olympics

 

TO VIEW SOME OF THE COMPANY SPORTS FEST PHOTOS, preview them at  http://kulturapilipinas.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=14142715

FOR INQUIRIES:  

CONTACT DICKIE AGUADO, Executive Director - MAGNA KULTURA FOUNDATION

Mobile: 0917-8990025

EMAIL: larongpinoy@gmail.com

WATCH THE PREVIEW OF THE LARONG PINOY GAMES

CORPORATE SPORTSFEST VIDEO PREVIEW

LINK: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkiNgi9K8cs 

​​​Games Featured on ​GMA 7 NEWS TV "24 ORAS"

LINK: https://youtu.be/g1vRU5jRC2k

Corporate Olympics, Sportsfest Organizer, Company Olympics, sports fest organizer, Company Team-building, Sports Organizer, Corporate Sports Fest, Company Sports Fest, Teambuilding Sportsfest

FOSTERING ARTS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

Arts education in the nation’s public schools is facing challenges despite strong public support and growing evidence of its wide-ranging benefits.

Arts partnerships have a long history of providing educational resources for schools, such as access to performances, student field trips to museums, student workshops, professional development for teachers, and artist-in-residence programs that place artists in schools for extended periods. Arts partnerships have been broadly defined as one of two types. In a simple-transaction partnership, arts organizations are providers of arts programming and schools are consumers. The school does not participate meaningfully in the design of the program, and the arts organization does little or no needs assessment for the school. This type of partnership is associated with one-time arts programs that provide students and teachers with merely exposure to the arts. In a joint-venture partnership, school staff and the arts organization work together to define educational goals and needs and collaboratively develop a program. Such collaboration is more likely to result in arts programs of greater educational value.


Partnership Goals
Schools and arts organizations shared a common goal of developing students, although both tended to express this goal in terms of exposing students to the arts rather than developing their knowledge of or skills in the arts. Schools and arts organizations also had some notably different goals for their partnerships. Schools emphasized providing professional development for teachers, a goal rarely mentioned by arts organizations. Promoting public awareness and appreciation of the arts was the goal most often mentioned by arts organizations; promoting their organizations was another frequently mentioned goal.

Partnership Interactions
Partnerships were usually simple transactions rather than joint ventures. The arts organizations developed programs without input from schools and offered them for a fee or sometimes for free. Schools selected from such programs, often using nothing more than promotional brochures. Communication between school staff and arts organizations tended to occur only after program selection and primarily to resolve logistical issues such as scheduling or transportation. Neither the arts organizations nor the schools conducted a needs assessment to inform program development, and programs were rarely linked or integrated with school curriculum. Although arts teachers can be liaison-facilitators between arts organizations and schools, arts organizations rarely consulted them and they did not advise schools on program selections.


Challenges and Facilitators of Partnerships.
Both schools and arts organizations indicated that insufficient funding and limited time for instruction and communication between teachers and organizations hindered even simple partnerships. Both cited challenges reflecting a lack of information and understanding about the others’ organizational needs and limitations. Grade-appropriate arts programs integrated with the school curriculum were the facilitator most commonly cited by schools. Arts organization directors did not cite this as a facilitator and indicated they rarely offer programs linked to school curriculum. Rather, they listed personal relationships with school staff and teacher commitment and enthusiasm as critical facilitators. School staff did not seem to be as interested in building relationships as they were in accessing individuals and information that would help them select and schedule programs.


FINDING A BETTER WAY

Given the pervasiveness of simple-transaction relationships, and the difficulties of developing more-complex interactions, schools and arts organizations should work to improve the educational value of simple transactions, even though more-sophisticated partnerships may have greater potential for educational impact.

Establish partnerships that address the goals of both schools and arts organizations.
Although the needs of students and schools have been emphasized as being central to the goals of arts education, the needs of arts organizations are of equal importance to a partnership’s growth and sustainability. The potential of arts education partnerships to establish the arts as a core subject will not be realized unless schools and organizations understand how their goals interconnect.

Focus on teachers.
Given their limited resources, schools and arts organizations should focus available resources on developing teachers. Teacher support is critical to the success of arts partnerships. Investing in teachers can also help disseminate program benefits widely to students, other teachers, members of the community, and potentially to other schools when teachers change jobs.

Use program selection to improve available programming.
As the consumers in a simple-transaction partnership, schools can shape available programming to better meet their needs through their choice of programs.

Provide comprehensive and user-friendly information.
Arts organizations require comprehensive information about schools’ needs, organizational structures and goals, curricula, and available funding in order to design educational programs. Schools require accessible and relevant information on arts organizations to select programs providing the best fit with school needs.

Enhance the “brokering” role of Liaison-Facilitators as arts advisors.
Both schools and arts organizations tend to be highly diverse and decentralized. The Liaison-Facilitators who act as promoters, as "friends of artists", who act as advisors to schools, have the potential to provide much-needed guidance to schools that are looking for ways to evaluate arts programs and to arts organizations that are working to develop programming that addresses schools’ needs.


IMPLICATIONS ON SCHOOL POLICY
The most significant implication we put forward in this article is that schools must assume responsibility for creating a coherent, standards-based arts curriculum and become better-informed consumers of arts programs. Even within the context of a well-designed and ambitious program, development of complex partnerships may be impractical and inefficient. Finding ways to make simple-transaction partnerships work more effectively may ultimately enable many schools and arts organizations struggling with limited resources to make a lasting impact on school reform.

THE FILIPINO ARTISTS: THE SOUL OF OUR NATION

We still celebrate the figurative works of great Filipino artists who inspired our senses for patriotism. The great Filipino artists still lives in our heart. Artistic paintings created by Filipinos began in the 17th century during Spanish colonial times and continued until the present, with such revered artists as Luna and Amorsolo. Other popular artists include Hugo C. Yunzon reflecting an earthy style that touches on indigenous Malay culture in pieces such as Early Risers, Nestor Leynes with Mag-ina Sa Banig, and Tam Austria with Mag-Anak.


Arts in our country has transformed the Philippine artscape. In the nearly 30 years, the arts in the Philippines have exploded. Our writers, dancers, musicians, actors, visual artists, photographers, animators, video and filmmakers have provided our country with wondrous creations, with an inspiring view of The Philippines.


In addition to what they contribute to society as a whole, the arts continues to enrich our lives. They inspire the Filipino youth and promote learning. They bring our communities and cities to life. They bring us together. They are part of us all. The current breed of Filipino artists nourishes our imaginations and our dreams.


As I have surveyed in cyberspace, and even here at Multiply, there more arts organization today. These organizations have sprouted to tap the rich potential of creative talent and to satisfy the desire of Filipino artists for their own art and their own stories. The rise of these organizations is a bold and visionary statement about the future --- a declaration of independence and an expression of confidence in the future of a rising cultural revolution in our country.


As social purpose organization, it is our un-shakeable belief that our Filipino artists are the soul this nation! They propagate culture and remind us of our cultural identity. They are our sole hope for protecting and changing our culture --- as they continue shape our cultural landscapes and hold the symbols of national identity.

We all know that culture can strengthen social cohesion, increase personal confidence, improve life skills, improve people’s mental and physical well-being and strengthen people’s ability to act as democratic citizens. Artists creates the spark to all of these and burn it within our souls.

The ultimate creative activity is the uplifting of the human spirit. It is our responsibility to bring art back into the hands of the people and to do so in an accessible manner.

The current differentiation between art, architecture, craft, and design is false, it is a false schism promoted by the art world. This unnatural taxonomy has crippled the artists and turned those who participate or attempt to participate into victims of fashion. There is no essential difference between the artist and the crafts-person. The artist is an exalted crafts-person. The conscious cooperation and collaboration of artists and craftspeople must be re-introduced to rise above the current constriction and strangulation extant in the art world.

This artistic differentiation and intolerance, based on prejudice and fear of commerce, must stop. We must take matters back into our own hands and return to the idealism of our youth. Art schools filled us with impossible dreams and gave us no concrete way of supporting ourselves except through teaching, working at odd or related jobs Or that most coveted and jealously desired possibility, hitting it big. It is time to take back the power inherent in our decision to become artists and to work at a grass roots level to create objects for use and contemplation that uplift the spirit. Participate in craft fairs. Great art at the right prices, if possible, at an achievable price for even the common mass citizen . Explore unexpected venues. Embrace commerce. The most important artists throughout history were adroit business people.

When Albert Einstein discovered the theory of relativity, he wanted to explain it so that a school child could understand it. Let our work become that clear. Our ideas can be
challenged and clarified by a direct experience with the public.


We believe in the superiority and excellence of our Filipino Artists. They make useful, beautiful, interesting, and or challenging objects. They have the talent and intelligence to educate an inquisitive public in a very unique way.

To our artists: make a living doing what you love to do. Be irreverent. Get up. Get going. There is a revolution going on in science, math, economics, sociology and psychology that is recognizing the parallel experiences of all the disciplines. Invite the public --- not just the rich or the middle class, but the ordinary "Juan". Stir their inspiration. Stir their souls.

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BUILDING THE RIGHT DREAM IS THE MAIN THING

Remember the movie "Field of Dreams" with famous whispering voice in the wind that said, "If You Build It, They Will Come!." I am not a baseball ball fanatic and don't recognize much of the characters there, but I like the motivational drift that the movie conveys. It's all about building a dream, something worthwhile that you have been deeply yearning for that you always wanted to achieve. And it well be what God has purposed you to achieve in your lifetime.

When I was an executive in an advertising agency that handled the Milo advertising account in the the 80's, we sparked a blue ocean of possibilities in youth sport development. We triggered Nestle Philippines to take some of its advertising budgets into supporting grassroots school for sports now known as the MILO Summer Sports Clinics. In my time during the 1970's we barely had clinics or workshops to attend to during summer. It was really boring and the only workshop available was the "devil's workshop". When we finished college, that frustration moved us to spark sports educators (P.E. teachers) to pursue a dream, to build mini-schools for a variety of sports activities outside of school. Our mantra was: Conceive. Believe. Achieve. We evangelized the dream and sold the idea like it was a franchise business. We built it, and they came. And it was never the same again. Only a few know how it all began, and to many it just seemed like an advertising campaign. But however way people perceive it to be, the one main thing is that children today enjoy many worthwhile activities every summer. And today, everybody seem to be doing the same thing. We didn't mind if new faces now run the the various clinics, and didn't remember how it all started. The important thing was it was running. We enjoyed the thought of knowing that it is possible.


We experimented with our mantra over and over again, beyond sports --- with the Bear Brand Kite Festivals that went nationwide, with the grassroots cultural activities like theater and music events, with livelihood programs among tricycle and jeepney drivers cooperatives --- and even with the 100th Independence Day in 1998 (that was a big historical thing). With the right dream, with the right goals, everything was possible! These 'experiments' has even brought us to even think that a peaceful cultural revolution is possible, and it could transform people and places.


But what made it possible? It was the unselfish sharing of the dream. The kind of dream that sparked hope among citizens who have been longing for change. It was by freely sharing the dream, at the same time creating advocates who could to create an ecosystem of transformation. People simply needed a springboard. Once they owned the dream... they will build it.


I cited in one of the post-message here in this cyber-site, that any dream worth living is worth sharing with others. The person who shares his dreams gets to watch it grow. The synergy of shared ideas often takes it to a whole new level. The dream becomes greater than the person launching it ever imagined it could be. And those who participate in it often adopt it as their own dream.

I believe that each of us has a dream placed in the heart. I'm not talking about wanting to win a lottery --- that kind of idea comes from a desire to escape our present circumstance, not to pursue a heartfelt dream. I'm talking about a vision deep inside that speaks to the very soul. It's the thing we were born to do. The one thing that draws on our talents and gifts. The one that appeals to our highest ideals. It sparks our feelings of destiny. It is inseparably linked to our purpose in life. The kind of dream starts us on the success journey.

A dream does many things for people:

- A dream gives us direction.

- A dream increases our potential.

- A dream helps us prioritize.

- A dream adds value to our work.

- A dream predicts our future.


Everybody has a dream. Everybody tries to move in closer to achieving that dream day by day. The great thing in this world is not so much where we are but in what direction we are moving.


This is also one of the great things about having a dream. You can pursue your dream no matter where you are today. And what happened in the past isn't as important as what lies ahead in the future. As the saying goes, "No matter what a person's past may have been, his future is spotless."


You can begin pursuing that dream today. If you build it they will come... and later you'll wake us to celebrate your dream, with eyes wide open.

But remember, you can't build everything on your own: you have to share the dream. Don't be afraid to spread it. If you have the right kind of dream, "we are more than conquerors".

Neither be afraid about people "stealing" your ideas. Of course there will be times when you don't know if people around you are just 'posers'. I always keep in mind what Rudyard Kipling once said, "They copied all they could, but they couldn't steal our minds. So we left them sweating and stealing... a year and a half behind."


Dream on. And make it the right dream. If possible, one that you could even present to our great boss in heaven. If you do that, everything will work together for good!

The right kind of dream is one that can build our society. Spread it out. One day you'll be happy to wake up a better society. And see how beautiful it is too walk into places that has been transformed by people who shared your dream.

Until then... all this is but a dream. We have to work it out and build the right dream with our fellow citizens.


It's 12 midnight now. I'll sleep on it... Enter my dream... and there, visit it online. Tomorrow when I wake, I'll pray to my boss up there for things to go beyond reality. If He wills it to be... it will be done.

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